“True Fellowship With The Son Seen In Rejecting Antichrists”

This passage in the letter of John talks about the way in which false teaching can come to a congregation and how the truth can be discerned against such teaching. A common word here is ‘antichrist’. This word itself is open to misunderstanding as it is often thought to be some hideous and grotesque representation of evil such as in 80’s horror movies. However, like false teaching itself, ‘antichrist’ is usually much more subtle and manipulative and against this background John continues to establish his three tests of authentic ‘knowing’ of Jesus Christ which depends on eyewitness account, and here, importantly, the work of God’s Spirit.